~Rowan’s POV Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
Kael grabbed my arm, trying to pull me back. "Rowan! Control yourself! We need to think!"
I shook him off, snarling. "I can’t think, Kael! I can’t!"
Another crash came from the hallway. A guard yelled, "Get back! She’s out of control!"
I felt the power inside me rise even more. My wolf instincts, my Alpha instincts, took over. I growled, low and menacing, and my body trembled with energy I hadn’t felt before.
Kael looked at me, eyes wide and scared. "Rowan... you’ve wolfed out."
"I know," I spat. "I can’t stop it. Not now. Not after what I just heard."
We listened. The palace was alive with chaos, footsteps, shouting, running. The guards were scrambling everywhere, and I could feel the fear in the walls themselves. My body ached to move, to run, to tear through whatever had caused this.
Kael grabbed my shoulder, steadying me. "Rowan, listen. You need to get back to yourself. Control it. We can’t go out and deal with whatever’s happening."
I shook my head, teeth clenched. "No... I can’t. Not yet. I’ll lose it. I’ll..."
"If you go out like that," Kael said sharply, "you’ll freak everyone out. The guards, the maids... everyone. You’ll make it worse."
I took a deep breath, trying to force the wolf inside me back. My body still trembled, heat running through my veins, my nails scraping against the floor. Slowly, the growl in my chest faded. My chest heaved, and I finally nodded. "Okay... I’m calm."
Kael studied me, his hands still on my shoulders. "Good. Now tell me, what exactly is going on? Where is Belinda?"
I clenched my jaw and shook my head. "Never... never say her name around me again," I muttered. "I’ll tell you everything later. But not now."
Kael frowned but didn’t push me further. "Fine. But we need to move. Whatever’s happening outside... we can’t ignore it."
I nodded, still trying to steady my heartbeat. Together, we stepped out into the main hall.
The moment we did, everything froze. The guards halted mid-step, their hands gripping their weapons. The maids stopped what they were carrying, their trays trembling slightly. They all turned to face us, bowing low.
"Alpha Rowan... Alpha Kael," the head maid said quickly, her voice shaking. "Greetings..."
Their faces were pale, eyes wide with fear. It wasn’t just respect, they were terrified. Something had happened, something big.
"What... what’s going on?" one of the younger maids asked, her voice trembling.
The head of the guards stepped forward, bowing deeper. His expression was serious, but there was an edge of worry I hadn’t seen before.
"Alpha Rowan... Alpha Kael..." he said, his voice steady but his hands fidgeting slightly. "Lisa... she escaped the prison."
I froze where I stood. The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. I felt my knees weaken slightly, and my chest tightened. My mind immediately flashed back to everything I had overheard, Fridolf and Belinda lying about Lisa, manipulating everyone, twisting the truth.
Anger flared in my chest, a sharp, hot burn. I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing the rage down. I had to keep my composure. I couldn’t let my anger control me, not yet. Not when we needed a clear head.
Kael’s eyes were wide with disbelief. "What? How... how is that even possible?" he asked. His voice trembled slightly, a mix of shock and worry. "is she not locked up in her room?"
The head guard took a steadying breath. "Your Majesty, it seems... she changed. Into something... a monster. She broke free from the prison with strength and speed beyond what we’ve ever seen. She even hurt some of the guards stationed at the prison. She is still missing, and we don’t know where she went."
I felt a shiver run down my spine. My hands clenched tighter. "She... changed? A monster?" I muttered under my breath, still trying to process the words. The anger and fear inside me twisted together.
I forced myself to inhale deeply, to steady my shaking hands. "Listen carefully," I said, my voice firmer now, commanding. "She must be found. Whoever finds her... must not hurt her. Do you understand? She is not an enemy. She is not to be harmed. If anyone lays a hand on her... they will answer to me."
The guards and maids all bowed lower, their heads almost touching the ground. "Yes, Alpha Rowan," the head guard said firmly. "We will follow your orders. No harm will come to her. We understand."
Kael’s hand rested briefly on my shoulder, steadying me. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly, his eyes searching mine.
The guards nodded again, murmuring their agreement among themselves. The maids whispered quietly to each other, still scared but relieved that the Alphas were in control.
I looked at Kael, my jaw tight. "We need to move quickly," I said, scanning the hall and the palace doors. "We have to find her before anyone else does. And we need to know what’s happening her. Something tells me that she is not fine."
Kael’s eyes met mine, wide and uncertain. "She... a monster?" he asked quietly. "You mean... really?"
I didn’t answer. Not yet. I just nodded toward the doors leading outside. My jaw was tight, my fists clenched. We needed to move. There was no time for questions, not until we knew more.
As we stepped forward, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. Another guard came running, almost stumbling as he reached us. He dropped to a quick bow, his face pale and tense.
"Alpha Rowan... Alpha Kael," the guard said, catching his breath. "You need to know... Alpha Thorne from the neighboring pack is here. He’s brought some soldiers with him."
I stopped mid-step, my mind immediately calculating. Thorne’s visit could not be a casual one, not with soldiers in tow. My pulse quickened.
"Thorne? Now?" I asked, my voice low but sharp.
The guard straightened slightly, eyes flicking between us. "Yes, Alpha Rowan. He said it’s urgent. He wouldn’t have come otherwise. He said the matter requires your immediate attention."
Kael frowned, tension evident in his jaw. "Urgent? Right now?"
The guard nodded, bowing again. "Yes, Alpha Kael. He said it cannot wait. He wants to speak to both of you directly."
I ran a hand through my hair, my mind racing. Lisa was out there, somewhere, changed into... something. And now Thorne had arrived, declaring urgency.
"Very well," I said finally, my voice firm. "Send him in. But make sure the palace is secure first. And everyone stays calm."
The guard nodded, bowing once more before hurrying away to make the necessary arrangements.